Voices From Happy Valley-Goose Bay Labrador

Look for updates to Voices for the next several days through to the end of October by clicking the link above. 

Model of Faith - Model of Salvation

Entrusting Yourself to Him

Meditation for the 28th Sunday

"Your Faith has saved you." The term leprosy in the new testament, actually referred to any visible skin condition a person might have, including leprosy. People with these conditions were greatly feared as contagious. Anyone showing signs would be quarantined and forced to live in colonies apart from the community. They were required to announce themselves as unclean to anyone with whom they crossed paths. Their living conditions were appalling and a painful death awaited them.  "The Encounter" On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” The text does not indicate exactly what they might have been hoping to get from Jesus. Perhaps they were hoping Jesus might be able to persuade the authorities to let them have better access to the resources of the community to improve their desperate lives. What they received was unimaginable. "The Birth of Faith" And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.” Faith is the act of ENTRUSTING one's self into the hands of Jesus. Those with true faith live with the certainty that no matter what may come against them in life they are secure in God's providence. God will see them through. People who think of themselves as self sufficient, having control of all that they need for a full and happy life, may see little purpose for faith in their life. That is why Jesus said that it is hard for the wealthy to find their way to the Kingdom. The poor have little blocking their view. While poverty regarding the things of this earth may begin our understanding of what it is to be poor, "poverty of spirit" is where the full meaning of poverty known. The human spirit that lives not in communion with God through faith but relies solely on itself, is in the most retched of all conditions. "Rich In Mercy" Those who pursue a life of prayer quickly realize how highly contagious are the sinful values of the world, corrupting the human spirit like a leprous condition. Only when we are willing to examine ourselves in the light of the gospel will we come to realize how retched our condition has become - then we too will cry out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on me.” Each new day, through prayer and the pursuit of the spiritual life, our condition is restored to wholeness again.  “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 1 Timothy 6:17 In Leviticus Chapter 13 we read . . . “When anyone has a swelling or a rash or a shiny spot on their skin that may be a defiling skin disease, they must be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons who is a priest. The priest is to examine the sore on the skin, and if the hair in the sore has turned white and the sore appears to be more than skin deep, it is a defiling skin disease." . . . . . The priest is to examine that person, and if the rash has spread in the skin, he shall pronounce them unclean; it is a defiling skin disease." Today, skin diseases are well understood medical conditions. Doctors have replaced priest as examiners and they prescribe appropriate healing remedies.  But the dreaded condition of moral corruption continues to require careful examination and discernment. The Prayer of Examine now replaces Leviticus Chapter 13. but the urgency for its use remains.  ... Prayer of Examine [link] ...

When Much Is Given, Much Is Expected

Meditation For the 26th Sunday

It is common to see, when passing by a corner store, a sign out front advertising the latest Lottery jackpot. Often the numbers can be a million plus. Imagine winning such a lottery. Suddenly you are a multimillionaire – all your problems solved! Perhaps not. In a resent study it is suggested that 70% of people who come into a sudden large windfall will lose it within a few years Indeed, and according to today’s gospel having great wealth is hazard to your eternal life. But why? In Luke Jesus says: From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. Lk 12:48 In last Sunday’s gospel, Jesus uses the example of a delinquent and dishonest servant to illustrate how wealth can corrupt. This Sunday the rich man – perhaps same man who commended his dishonest servant, is the focus. “You cannot serve two masters”. It all comes down to understanding who we are and why we are here. We did not choose to come into this life, we were created and sent into the world by God. Nor is this world a product of our doing, it too is created. We did not make it and we do not own it. This world and all life in it belongs to God – we are not owners of anything by right. That is why comparing us to servants is a most accurate analogy. The reason why the rich man in today’s gospel finds himself in big trouble is not that being rich is wrong in itself, but that, “to whom much is given, much more is expected.” He is doing nothing fruitful with what has been entrusted to him. In the account of the rich young man whom Jesus invites to become his follower, the wealth of this young man controls him rather than the other way around. “And Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God! (Lk 18:24) With life comes responsibility and with wealth comes even more responsibility. I was raised by parents who were products of the great depression. For us having was a blessing – wasting was a sin. In those days, parishes were lifelines for their people, parishioners helping each other survive. They understood these gospels teaching we are reading – related to them. Perhaps the improved conditions of resent times is having a negative impact on us today. Who needs God when I am doing quite well thank you. May we never lose site of who we truly are, God’s servants, and that . . . “ From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked”.

25th Sunday of the Year

The Rich Get Richer

&

The Poor Get Poorer

I came across an interesting You Tube video that focused on the distribution of wealth in the United States. It demonstrated just how wide the gap is between the rich and the poor. We all know that the rich are getting richer, but by how much is shocking. In the video it points out that 1% of Americans have 40% of the countries wealth. 8 out 10 people have only 7% of the countries wealth. The average worker would have to work more than a month to earn what the CEO earns in an hour. But as we listen to the first reading for this Sunday’s liturgy, we realize that inequity in the distribution of wealth is not a new problem. We will measure out less and charge more, and tamper with the scales, buying the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, and selling the sweepings of the wheat.”    For the prophet it is not only that these people are doing something dishonest, but they are offending God as well. The abundance of the resources of God's creation are not mankind's to own and do with as they like. We are not owners, we are stewards of God's good earth, charged with the responsibility of using it for the good of all. Over the centuries, various political/economic systems have been used, but none has prevented this inequity of shared wealth from happening. It is interesting to note that in our time, a real sense of stewardship of our world resources has emerged - seen in the growing concern over the environment.  As you may know, last year Pope Francis issued an encyclical -Laudato Si'-on the environment. Perhaps the most important new focus of the encyclical is the relationship between global poverty, catastrophic inequality, and worship of the golden calf of consumerism that leads to environmental destruction.  The Pope does not mince words in his condemnation of worshiping gross national product over human life and health. The poor and marginal are his greatest concern, and they suffer the most from economic and environmental injustice. In today's gospel, in Jesus' story of the Dishonest Stewart, his commendation for his shrewdness is meant as a judgement against him and all who act likewise.  Today we are reminded of our stewardship, both of creation and one another. The gospel ends by asking us as stewards which master are we serving?